Choosing a web host is the first and most important step in starting a website, the quality and expenses of your hosting will affect your business. But do you want shared? Vps? Dedicated? What if you already lost me by this point? This will go into detail on what you need.
Step 1: The type of server
The type of server you get is important. If you are big, you can spend a small amount of money, but loose clients to downtime. If you are small, you can pay too much and ruin your budget. Or, you can choose the right server that balances your budget and isn't overkill. Here are the types of servers you can rent.
Shared is the cheapest, but most packed with the most shady hosts. Suitable for almost all starting sites it is the best place to start a new website. Shared servers will have hundreds or thousands of sites on the single server, because no one site can even come close to using the server resources up. But some hosts will oversell to the point all those sites overload the server. This guide assumes you are using shared, as it is best for starters.
Dedicated is the best, the big boys use them (we are on a dedicated server), but they are by a good margin the most expensive one, costing $100 to low $xxxx a month (yes, a month). Dedicated can handle the big sites and the tough jobs, by the time you need one of these, you will be experienced enough to know it. We use
https://www.theplanet.com/ at TF.
Semi-dedicated or Virtural Private Server (VPS) is a middle ground between shared and dedicated, having only a few sites on it, it provides power and split costs. Each account is on its own OS so you can manage it as if its your server. As far as processing power and memory go, they are almost always divided into segments, giving each site an equal share of it. These servers run from $60-$250 a month.
Shared is almost always the need for new sites, as they wont have good traffic for a while.
Step 2: The Operating System
The next thing to take into consideration is the operating system you want, the webhosting market is divided into 2 operating systems for the most part, linux and windows. Here is a basic guide on the ups and downs of both.
Linux: Cheaper and more widely used among smaller websites then windows. I would go with a linux unless you have any of the windows only needs I will go though next.
Windows: More costly, due to the fact the OS costs a ton more. It comes with better support and a good corporate backing, but this is meaningless if you are using shared hosting. The main reasons you would want to go with windows is for ms-sql or asp.net. I use a windows server to program in ASP.net, I otherwise dont see much difference between the two.
Step 3: Who to do business with
Now that we have the type of server and the operating system sorted out, what host? There are a million out there. Truth is with shared hosting, you will find more rats (or weasels if you are a dilbert fan) in this buisness then you would at a lawyer convention. Here are the basic guides on what should turn you away from a host:
1. Unlimited space or bandwith
This is the first and most obvious sign that a webhost is a scam, it is physically (yes, physically) impossible to give unlimited space or bandwidth, especially for under $10 a month. Ive seen a number of these hosts come then disappear within a few months. These are normally run by kids who are trying to make some cash. If you ever see this, keep searching.
2. Unmetered space or bandwidth
As this is similar to the last one, it has many differences, unmetered means they dont look at how much you use, but the server has its limits. Unlike unlimited, this is possible to do, it just isnt done (not for shared hosting prices). This is also a sign of a scam, these hosts will have a piece in the contract that states you cant use too much of the server, so you go too far and they ban you. Stay away from these hosts.
3. Hosts that make you register your domain with them
A friend of mine got burned with this, they make sure you register or transfer the domain to them. When you register a domain with them, they do it in their name, not yours. When you try to leave, they change you a ton of money to get the domain back, so much money that you normally will stay with them because you need the domain. Now if its just an offer, don't have it turn you off, just don't use it.
4. Hosts that make you pay by the year
Most hosts give you discounts if you pay by the year, there is nothing wrong with that. But if a host only lets you pay by the year, it most likely means that they wont be in there in a year, so they want the years money. They will one day disappear without a trace. If they let you may by month, they are probably legit. Just beware of the ones that make you do it by year. I pay by the month with my host because I don't generally have the money at any given time for a years worth.
5. No toll-free support number
A host with no toll free support number is a small company, generally without the ability to provide good support. It is a good idea to stay away from these hosts if you are new. This shouldn't automatically mark them down as a scam however, as all businesses have to start somewhere.
Remember, hosts are businesses, they want to make money. They wont loose money to make your site run better. If it looks simply too good to be true, it likely is. Use logic.
Step 3: Reviews
The final step you should take is read reviews, NEVER take the “Awards” that are on a hosts page, or get something from “a top x hosts” list, these are either made by the host or they (or their clients with an affiliate link) pay to get in there. The sites I have found reliable are
www.webhostingtalk.com and
www.webhostingunleashed.com (EDIT: I found from personal experience that WebHostingUnleashed is bias, they wouldnt accept a negitave review because my complaint "wasn't valid"). These will have massive amounts of reviews on most hosts.
Happy Hosting!
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